MSRP:

$999

Overall Rating: 5.2

Surveying the $1K price point and the mass of ellipticals available, it is very hard to single in on one to say it is the best. At the end of the day it really boils down to opinion. That being said, I do believe that you won't make a mistake by buying this machine.

The AFG 3.1 AE makes a strong case for its purchase at $999. It has good quality in a price range that offers serious competition. If you want to find the best at this price, you're going to have to find out what you want specifically from your elliptical before you can decide. There are just too many solid options at this cost.

Ergonomically speaking, this model isn't great. Several of the models below this price point offer a similarly natural range of motion. The adjustability is okay. Most of the ellipticals in this price range are comparable or worse in this area, but it isn't exactly difficult to find machines that offer more options. There is a 20" fixed stride length, which isn't great. You can, however, adjust the resistance between 1-20 levels, as well as the incline, which also has 20 levels.

As far as projected reliability is concerned, this machine is decent. You can certainly find models in this price range that have a comparable life expectancy, but most are expected to last about the same amount of time. The quality of parts used is pretty impressive. There isn't a single elliptical that we reviewed in this price range that uses better parts.

The noise levels of this elliptical are average. This is pretty common among all ellipticals regardless of price. You're not going to be able to find a quieter model in this price range, but the average user most likely won't be bothered by the amount of noise this one makes.

The warranty on the AFG 3.1 AE is pretty good. Labor is covered for 1 year, parts are covered for 3 years, and the frame is covered for life. There are very few models that are this affordable that offer better coverage.

General Information

Before the retail shakeout/consolidation, Treadmill Doctor believed that Johnson might get some distribution with the AFG line, but with few dealers left, they haven't caught on in the specialty channel. They surprised us by gaining distribution through Sears.com and the new Sears 'specialty store' concept, and that has saved the AFG line from being a proverbial dinosaur.

Quality / Philosophy

We gained a much greater understanding of Johnson's business in the past few years with our visit to their headquarters and facilities in Taiwan and China. Johnson is the most integrated manufacturer of fitness equipment in the world. This can be both good and bad. The good is that you are in control of almost all aspects of production. The bad is that you are in control of almost all aspects of production. If you mess up, there is no one else to blame. Since they really seem to be focused on doing things the right way, it appears that this is a case where the good prevails. We were impressed with their quality procedures, design, and testing processes, and the reviews will reflect these facts.

Outlook

Johnson has established themselves as one of the largest and most stable companies in this business, and they certainly have their act together. We have confidence in their ongoing product support of all the lines that they produce, but we also expect big results with their partnership with Sears.